As we prepare for our upcoming Fantasy Football drafts, we have beliefs about each player we're considering for our team. Some of those beliefs are based on how players did last year, their new role this season, a quarterback or head coach change, or a previous injury. There are players who we believe will be good this year, and we plan on drafting them. Over the coming weeks, we will read Fantasy analysis, hear training camp reports, and listen to coachspeak about every player's daily practice performance. This information will either confirm and affirm our beliefs or challenge them. In some ways, we'll waver back and forth on players based on what we read or hear. We'll navigate through what local beat writers say and determine if we stick with our convictions or no longer believe in certain players following negative headlines and training camp reports. If the circumstances change, we most likely wonder what to believe, and then when we're on the clock, doubts about drafting particular players will creep in. From a Fantasy Football standpoint, it makes sense to doubt what we think is true regarding each player because of the unpredictability and constant changes that affect those beliefs. Like Fantasy managers debate what they believe about players, we can similarly wrestle with our beliefs about God as we experience constant changes in our lives and face tough circumstances. If we're honest, how quickly do we start doubting God after one bad week or disappointing "training camp report"? We might say, "God isn't answering my prayers as I thought He would, so He must not care about me." Or we may think, "He can't be a good God if He allowed this to happen to me." How easily do we discard our beliefs when adversity strikes? Understandably, Fantasy managers will have doubts about certain players over the coming weeks, and it's also hard to avoid the questions and doubts we grapple with our faith. But today, we’re encouraged to stand firm in our convictions about God and believe He's always loving, good, and faithful. He remains the same even as our circumstances change and our beliefs become challenged. God is reliable and trustworthy, and He reveals Himself to us as we seek the truth about Him in His Word. When Fantasy managers are on the clock preparing to decide who to draft, they need wisdom about what they should do and must remember what is true about that player. Likewise, when we encounter tough choices and circumstances and need wisdom to know what to do, we must remember what is true about God and approach Him with faith. James 1:5-8 (NLT) says, "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. "Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do." Although our beliefs about players in Fantasy Football may flip-flop based on the circumstances from training camp, let's be reminded not to waver in life but to keep our faith in God alone. Let's trust in His unchanging character, seek His wisdom, believe He'll give it to us, and keep our beliefs rooted in Him. I'm Bryce Johnson, and you can UNPACK that! PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I need wisdom and trust that You'll provide it. My circumstances are challenging today, and I need You to guide me. I pray I wouldn't doubt Your goodness or faithfulness. Please help me not to waver in my faith or divide my loyalties, but give me the wisdom to believe what is true. I pray this in Jesus' name, Amen.
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